Bumper cash boost for football club

Kirkliston/South Queensferry FC received a major cash boost this week thanks to the Legacy 2014 Sustainable Sport for Communities Fund.

The local club has been granted £23,000 from the partnership between the Scottish Government and The Robertson Trust, which is designed to support sport-related social enterprises, to enable them to become sustainable in the long run and help people become more physically active.

KSQ chairwoman Kate Richardson said: ‘‘It is a huge and very welcome surprise as we did not expect to get this far in the application process.

‘‘We are hoping to use some of the funds to pay for professional consultation on how to take the club forward as a community football club. We want to be a club which offers opportunities to all young people and adults living in the South Queensferry/Dalmeny and Kirkliston areas.

‘‘Our long term aim is to have our own facilities much like Broxburn Athletic, which offers both training and playing facilities on both grass and 3G surfaces.

Lorrian Durie, a KSQ committee member who helped compile the legacy application added: ‘‘We will utilise the funding to help us with our business plan and engage with the local communities to ensure we can better utilise Kirkliston Leisure Centre for the club and wider community.

‘‘The club has 300 members and we now have a waiting list. Our growth has been hindered by lack of quality accessible facilities. With Kirkliston Leisure Centre closed most of the weekend we want to get it open more hours.’’